The Blood for a Brew drive held at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware on Tuesday, August 26 perfectly encapsulated why this summer campaign has become crucial to Blood Bank of Delmarva’s (BBD) summertime collections.
Dogfish Head booked all 50 appointments for this crucial blood drive, ultimately collecting 49 lifesaving donations. The first hour of the drive alone featured three first-time donors—recent Woodbridge High School graduates April Delmar and Qayonah Muhammad, and WRDE CoastTV reporter Tyler Rydson—along with repeat donor Zach Williams, who has embraced the Blood for a Brew concept.
April said her mother asked her to donate, and she in turn asked her friend, Qayonah, to come with her. “My mom works in the hospital, and she’s all about giving blood,” April said. “This will be my turn.”
Zach Williams added, “It’s mostly location, the distance from my house, but it’s a nice opportunity to have lunch. It’s a nice setting.”
This group of donors represents one of the key successes of Blood for a Brew – attracting young and first-time donors during the summer to make up for the shortfall caused by high school and college blood drives not running during summer break. In its first year, Blood for a Brew donors were ten years younger on average than donors at other mobile blood drives.
Prior to the pandemic of 2020, BBD relied on the traditional Summer Blood Challenge to maintain collections during the critical summertime period. Post-covid, the Blood for a Brew summer campaign was conceived to maintain collections by drawing donors to local breweries and, more recently, coffeehouses—making blood donation a social, community-centered experience.
“We could not have kept hospitals stocked with blood this summer without Blood for a Brew,” said BBD Director of Donor Recruitment Joanna Arat. “Thank you to the donors who have embraced this concept-turned tradition, and to all the breweries and coffeehouses that have helped us through the challenging, summertime months.”
Other recent Blood for a Brew successes include:
- Ten Eyck Brewing, Queenstown, MD – 22 units (Aug. 22)
- 5th Company Brewing, Perryville, MD – 12 units (Aug. 22)
- The Well Coffeehouse, Hockessin, DE – 20 units (Aug. 23)
- Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE – 50 appointments booked (Aug. 27)
- Crooked Hammock, Lewes, DE – 39 appointments (Aug. 29); Middletown draw still seeking donors (Aug. 31)
So far this summer, Blood for a Brew has collected 488 units—each one a lifesaving gift for local patients.
Click here to book your appointment today: Blood for a Brew – Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD).
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Our partners this year included:
- Dogfish Head Brewery
- Revelation Craft Brewing Company
- Dewey Beer Company
- Big Oyster Brewery
- Mispillion River Brewing
- Camp Adventureland
- Crooked Hammock Brewery
- Stewart’s Brewing Company
- Two Stones Pub
- 5th Company Brewing
- Volunteer Brewing Company
- 2SP Tap House
- Liquid Alchemy
- Twisted Irons Craft Brewing Company
- Constitution Yards
- Wilmington Brew Works
- Ocean View Brewing Company
- Burley Oak Brewing Company
- Evolution Craft Brewing Co.
- The Well Coffeehouse
